Thursday, February 3, 2011

We are proud to announce the designation of Queens' 10th Historic District, known as the Addisleigh Park Historic District in St. Albans, which preserves 422 homes & natural landscapes. Addisleigh Park was calendared by the Landmarks Preservation Commission on February 9, 2010, and heard on March 23, 2010. On February 1, 2011, nearly 5 years of surveying and advocacy by the Addisleigh Park Civic Association, Historic Districts Council, and help from preservation grants, CM Leroy Comrie, residents, Historians Maxine Gordan &Jane Cowan, & the Addisleigh Park Historic District came to fruition, when it was designated unanimously by the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission, in addition to 4 Individual Landmarks in Staten Island's Sandy Ground section. The timing of the designation commemorates Black History Month, and will preserve a fine collection of architectural and cultural landmarks for neighborhood residents and preservationists citywide for future generations. This marks the city's Historic District #102.

In the 1940s, prominent African American 20th-century figures including jazz musicians and sports champions began to make their home in Addisleigh Park. If you took a leisurely walk, you may have crossed paths with legends including Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Jackie Robinson, Percy Sutton, Milt Hinton, Roy Campanella, Illinois Jacquet, Lena Horne, W.E.B. DuBois, James Brown, Thomas "Fats" Waller, and Joe Louis.

The area consists of Tudor and Colonial Revival, and Arts & Crafts freestanding homes with neatly landscaped lawns and mature tree-lined streets, rowhouses, the St. Albans Park, and places of worship. It is hard to grasp that homes were only available to whites when a number of properties were first developed circa 1910 - 1930s. This relates to the unrevised Forest Hills Gardens' Restrictive Covenants, which initially banned Jews and African Americans.

1 comment:

This Queens native (Corona & Laurelton) and African-American is pleased to see the designation of Queens' 10th Historic District, also known as the Addisleigh Park Historic District in St. Albans. This district includes an amazing number of architecturally distinctive, handsome, and well-kept homes, many of them the former residences of reknowned entertainers and athletes. Hopefully,the designation will help maintain these beautiful residences for years to come. Lord knows that Queens already has lost a staggering number of architecturally distinctive and historically signficant homes, particularly during the early 20th century. Many of the latter dwellings managed to last well into the 1940s before succumbing to thoughtless demolition, fires, or sundry other destruction.

1. JOIN our Facebook Group, become a Rego Park, Forest Hills, and Queens preservation supporter, play a role in our future, interact with other members, and invite your friends:http://on.fb.me/RegoForest

2. JOIN the Facebook Group, "S.O.S. (Save Our Stadium!)" in order to help preserve & reuse the historic international icon, the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, which is under the threat of demolition by condo-minded developers if sold. Invite your friends to support the preservation campaign: http://on.fb.me/SaveOurStadium

MISSION STATEMENT

Rego-Forest Preservation Council seeks to preserve and commemorate the architectural and cultural history of Rego Park, Forest Hills, and adjacent neighborhoods of Queens, NY. We work with citizens, affiliate organizations, and property owners on local, city, state, & federal levels. Avenues include Individual Landmarks, Historic Districts, Rezonings, State & National Register properties and districts; to ultimately provide funding assistance for restoration and adaptive reuse, safeguard community character, and convey historic pride for current and future generations.